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Legacy in the News: Telebaby Resuscitation Program Saves Local Newborn's Life

KOIN Local 6, Fox 12 News (KPTV), KATU News

Friday, January 25, 2012

Nurses at Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel and Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center recently worked together to save the life of a newborn baby girl by putting into action Legacy’s Telebaby Resusitation Program. The partnership between the two medical centers allows neonatal nurse practitioners to be in the room within seconds all via a high-definition telemedicine robot. The robot allows collaborative, real time decision-making regarding the diagnosis and condition of a newborn during high risk births. Specifically, it displays a newborn's color and breathing and allows nurses in Good Samaritan’s Family Birth Center and Neonatal Nurse Practitioners (NNPs) at Randall Children's Hospital to determine the child's condition and if the baby needs to be transported to Randall’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

“These are literally life saving moments and they are critical times at a family birth center,” said Lauren Rose, MD, medical director of Newborn Nurseries at Randall Children's Hospital. “Within 30 seconds of receiving that call, the NNP can hear and see everything that is happening with the baby and in the room.”

Lindsey Hammond Charlet is a new mom who benefited from the technology. When her daughter Vivian was born on Nov. 1, she was blue and was having trouble breathing.

"As soon as she came out, they showed her to me for two seconds and then whisked her away," said Hammond Charlet.

The robot at Good Sam was able to zoom in on baby Vivian so that Carrie Scheckla, the NNP at Randall Children's Hospital, could assess her level of oxygen and suggest that the baby use a breathing machine. Once connected to the breathing machine, Carrie recommended baby Vivian be transported to Randall Children's Hospital. It only took 45 minutes to transport mom and baby.

"To see how quickly everybody responded reassured me that we were in really good hands," said Hammond Charlet.

Legacy Good Samaritan installed its robotic baby video system in May. The hospital has used it 15 times, including when Vivian was born. All those babies survived.